


School Carnival

by Moonrose91



Series: The Burns Family Chronicles [2]
Category: Transformers - All Media Types, Transformers: Rescue Bots
Genre: Adult Content, F/M, Family, Gen, I don't condone what happens here I just write it, Please do not flame me, Pregnancy Test, That is why it is rated M for Mature
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-11
Updated: 2012-10-11
Packaged: 2017-11-16 02:04:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,790
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/534264
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Moonrose91/pseuds/Moonrose91
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Secrets are always a burden that cannot be shared, for it never lightens, no matter how many you tell.</p>
            </blockquote>





	School Carnival

Jennifer Burns always woke up later then Charlie; he was already downstairs when she began to move. She pulled the pregnancy test out of its hiding place, and followed the directions. During the wait, she sat on the edge of the tub and twisted her hands around each other. When the time was up and she saw the answer, she paled and gripped the sink as she swayed slightly. She leaned on the sink counter and took deep breaths before she managed to look up at herself in the mirror. With shaking hands, she tossed the test into the trash, decided to wait a week and take the second test, before she made an appointment to visit her doctor.

Once cleaned up and reassured that she wasn't showing her panic, that not a silver streaked strawberry-blonde lock of hair was out of place before she began to get a start on her day. She smiled at her children. Kade immediately started talking about who he was hoping would ask him out to the Sadie Hawkins Dance, while Danielle teased him about how if he wasn't careful, he'd just say 'yes' to the first girl who asked him, while Graham was quiet. "Graham, are you going to go to the Sadie Hawkins?" Jennifer questioned, and Graham glanced up at her.

He always stared at her like he could stare into her soul, or see her secrets.

“No, I won’t. I have a few school projects to finish,” Graham finally answered and Danielle stared at him in surprise.

“But you told me and Kade that you were looking forward to it! What made you change your mind?” Danielle questioned.

“He changed it after he saw who the supervisors were. He doesn’t like Mr. Hightower,” Kade stated and Jennifer nearly choked her on coffee.

Kade immediately stood and began to pound, gently, on her back so she could begin coughing. “Thank you Kade,” she croaked out and he nodded in concern before he sat down.

“Why don’t you like Mr. Hightower Graham?” Jennifer questioned, glancing at the clock.

Charlie must have sped out of here quickly. She had only gotten up half an hour ago.

“He…upsets me,” Graham answered, stirring his cereal without eating it.

“May I be excused?” he asked.

“Of course,” Jennifer responded and he stood, dumped his cereal into the sink before he walked off.

She turned to the other two and soon had their plans for the day by the time Graham walked down, said his intention to walk to school (about a mile away), and left before Jennifer could protest.

“He usually walks Mom, don’t worry,” Kade reassured her and Jennifer let it go.

“I thought he got rides with your dad,” she murmured.

“Sometimes. Don’t worry about it Mom, we wouldn’t have known, except one time we caught him,” Danielle stated.

Jennifer calmed down at that and she then shooed them out the door to get them to school on time. “Remember Mom, the high school’s carnival is two weeks from now!” Danielle pressed and Jennifer laughed.

“How could I forget?” she questioned and made sure everyone was settled before she drove to the school.

It really _was_ close enough for them to walk to, but she preferred to drive, so long as Danielle and Kade didn’t argue.

She didn’t think her nerves could take it right now.

As she pulled up in front of the high school and Kade jumped out, she waved at him before pulling away so she could drive to the middle school. “Behave today Danielle?” she asked and Danielle smiled.

“When don’t I?” she questioned.

“Alphabetically or chronologically, Danielle?” Jennifer replied and Danielle laughed before hurrying out.

Jennifer shook her head and drove back home, after swinging by the grocery store to collect everything the house needed. Such as some extra toilet paper and a few extra first aid kits.

And cantaloupe.

She was craving some.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The second test, and the doctor’s trip, confirmed her worst fears.

She was pregnant.

However…

Well, that was neither here nor there.

For now.

The carnival was in full swing and Graham was trotting loyally at Charlie’s side, even though one of the police chief’s arms was wrapped lightly around her waist. Kade had run off to be with his friends, while Danielle had gone off with her own friends.

“Charlie, I’m going to go get us some hot dogs, or maybe kettle corn. Kettle corn would be better, wouldn’t it?” she stated and Charlie gave a concerned look before dropping his arm. “Not a problem Jenny. And I wouldn’t say ‘no’ to either. Do you want anything Graham?” Charlie responded and turned to their son.

“I’m not hungry,” he answered softly and Charlie gave a soft sigh, ruffling Graham’s hair before he gave a smile.

“You’ll catch up?” he asked.

“Of course,” Jennifer answered before she gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.

She drifted off before he could return the affection and began to search for someone important.

She eventually found him at one of the booths, though he wasn’t running it, just standing near it. He was tall, taller than Charlie, and with grey fleck black hair. “Mr. Hightower, I need to speak to you about Graham,” she stated and the man blinked a bit.

“Of course, Mrs. Burns,” he answered and they walked off, Jennifer already chatting about her worries over how Graham was adjusting.

Once in a quiet spot, out of the way, they immediately dropped the pretense. “Oh, Matthew!” she cried out softly and hugged him tightly, shaking slightly as she clung tighter to him.

He didn’t even twitch. He just reached up and gently ran the tips of his fingers down her jawline. “What’s wrong Jennifer?” he asked softly.

She leaned into the gesture and then looked up at him, her brown eyes locking with his blue. “I’m pregnant,” she whispered.

For a moment, he reacted like they were out in the open, and then reality stole over him, his eyes widening with concern. “Whose is it?” he asked.

“I don’t know,” she whispered and he twitched his hand, carefully cradling her face, fingers touching her earlobe.

He searched her eyes and leaned forward slightly, still staring deeply into them. “I love you, Jenny,” he breathed softly and leaned in, kissing her. She kissed back, wrapping her arms around his neck.

It probably would have continued for some time when someone cleared their throat. Jennifer pulled back and ducked her head. “Graham!” he exclaimed and she tensed.

“Dad got worried. He was going to come looking for you, Mother. However, I felt that would be…unwise and offered to do so instead,” Graham answered and she tensed farther.

“Mother? Graham, I think you are confused…” Matthew stated, trying to get out of it and Graham let out a disgusted snort.

“I found out four years ago, right here, actually, at this carnival four years ago. Back then, though, Dad had sent me to find Mother, so do not lie to me Mr. Hightower,” Graham snapped, fury in every word.

“Dad is worried _Mother_. We should go back… _now_ ,” Graham added and Jennifer removed herself from Matthew’s loose embrace.

She turned to face Graham, who watched them both with furious eyes.

He would not forgive, nor would he forget.

Jennifer strode away and Graham followed.

She got kettle corn and told Charlie she got caught up in memories and wandering.

Graham said nothing.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“Why didn’t you tell him?” Jennifer asked of Graham, sometime later that week, after telling Charlie of her pregnancy.

It was rare it was the two of them, though it made sense, if Graham knew.

Knew and hated her for it, even if she was his mother.

He didn’t look up from his computer and she thought he was going to remain silent when he suddenly spoke.

“I was going to, that night four years ago. And as I ran through the carnival, surrounded by happy people, all I could think about was how he deserved to know, _should_ know. And then…after I got lost and had to stop running, I began to think. And I thought about how much he loved us, and how much he loved _you_ , and realized he would never leave. If not for us, then because he loves you too damn much! And, so, I didn’t tell him. I hoped he would find out, but he can’t see for the forest for the trees. Which I’m glad for, actually.”

She didn’t scold him for the curse word, though she knew he should.

“Why are you glad?” she asked and Graham snapped the laptop shut before he stared up at her, eyes cold.

“If he ever found out, the very love that keeps him from seeing how _unworthy_ of it you are is what keeps him from being poisoned by that same love. Because he would not leave you, _could not_ leave you, and he would not be happy so long as he knew that you were in love with another and trapped. He would never, could never, not in a thousand years, not in an _eternity_ , be the one to serve you divorce papers. As I said before, he loves you too much, he loves _his children_ too much, to do that to you, to us. But you? You I could see doing it. Ridding yourself of your anchors to live your happy life with the man you really love,” Graham stated and stood up, moving to leave.

In a desperate plea for him to see her side of it, she reached out and gently grabbed his arm. “Graham, in my own way…”

She never finished as Graham _wrenched_ his arm out of her grip and turned to glare at her.

“Your _own way_? Don’t…what? Did you wait for him because everyone expected you to? Was everything you did, from dating him in high school, to marrying him after he joined the police force right out of the Army, to having _us_ , was that all just what you did because everyone in this one-horse town expected it of you? News Flash, _Mother_ , no they wouldn’t have. You didn’t grow up here, you moved out here when Dad got a job offer. You never _had_ to do anything. Ever. But no, you stayed, you stayed instead of saying you were unhappy and have _betrayed_ Dad beyond anything I can forgive you for! _Your own way_ does _not_ excuse what you have done. And I will not forgive it, or forget it, Mother,” Graham snapped and then ran, did not walk, out of the house, leaving Jennifer standing in the kitchen and wondering if love was worth all of this.

**Author's Note:**

> We already all know I am a cruel person.
> 
> I doubt it will change anytime soon.
> 
> On the bright side, that means that we'll have a roller coaster of emotions for forever.
> 
> Also, Jennifer made her own bed, now she must lie in it.


End file.
